Harder To Breathe
by she.a.punk
Summary: Harvey's eyes widened and it occurred to Rachel that she'd never seen 'fear' on the man's face before. "Call 911," he said, a touch of panic behind the calm words, "and get Donna, tell her to bring Mike's EpiPen."


**A/N**: Um, not sure what to say besides read and review fellow suits fanatics! Oh and I'm not a doctor, all my knowledge comes from scanning stuff on google.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own _Suits _or _Maroon 5_

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><p>Mike sighed, rubbing his eyes briefly and scrubbing a hand through his hair, causing it to stand on end.<p>

"Don't do that." A female voice said from beside him. Mike looked over at Rachel approaching with a smile and a plate of snacks in each hand.

Mike smiled appreciatively, taking one of the plates from her and handing her the glass of wine she'd left with him.

"Don't do what?"

"Well, I originally meant 'mess your hair up like that because appearances matter even at lame after-hours office parties," Rachel said after sipping her wine, "but now I think I should add 'don't look like you're absolutely miserable just being here'."

Mike cracked a smile at that and raised an eyebrow at the plate he'd been given.

"Well, I can think of a hundred people I'd rather be in a room with than the douches I work with, present company excluded of course," he added, and Rachel hummed in response. He lifted his plate to sniff it and was hit with the overwhelming scent of garlic, "what the hell _is _this anyway?"

The vegetables looked benign enough, but the creamy white dipping sauce beside it, with flecks of orange and green and…purple? That looked suspect.

The brunette glanced at him and then rolled her eyes at his wary stare.

"It's not going to hurt you Mike. Louis made it."

Mike turned to look at her and lowered his voice to a stage whisper.

"I thought you said it _wasn't_ going to hurt me?"

Rachel rolled her eyes again, this time with a smile.

"Just try it Mike. It's actually pretty good," she paused at his look and then raised her eyebrows. "Have I ever lead you wrong before when it comes to food? Or anything else for that matter?"

Mike spared her another quick glance before turning back toward his plate.

She did have a point.

"You better be right about this," he muttered, and then dunked one of his carrots into the dip, coating it generously before taking an experimental bite. After a moment his eyes widened in surprise and he put the rest in his mouth, meeting Rachel's expectant gaze with his astonished one.

"That's actually really good."

Rachel tilted her head. "I told you."

Mike nodded his response and focused on shoveling more of the delicious dip into his mouth as a few of the associates came over to chat. Cynthia and Zach were a couple of the second year associates that Mike was actually relatively friendly with. They kept to themselves mostly and Cynthia was directly under one of the other partners so Mike didn't see her that much.

He was in the middle of a conversation about the repercussions of a recent football game on the fantasy leagues with Zach when it hit him. A sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Something was _wrong._

"Mike? Are you okay?"

He looked over at Rachel and saw both she and Cynthia were giving him a concerned look. He realized he must have dropped off in the middle of a sentence.

Someone laughed in the far corner of the room and Mike looked up wildly, tugging at his collar. It was so hot all of a sudden.

"Mike."

He felt a hand on his arm and shrugged it off. Blood was rushing in his ears and he was starting to feel light headed.

"I think," he cleared his throat when his voice came out hoarse. "Would you excuse me?" He asked, not really expecting an answer, and ducked out of the room, heading down the hallway.

His first impulse was to head toward the bathroom, maybe splashing some cool water on his face would help. But when the world tilted violently to one side and he had to reach out to the wall to catch himself, he realized the bathroom, with all it's hard marble surfaces, might not be the best place for him.

_Soft_, he thought, his own voice sounding hollow and far away inside his head. _That's what I want. Soft and safe._

Rachel watched Mike stumble out into the hallway and briefly met Cynthia and Zach's concerned gazes.

"I think I'll go make sure he's okay." She excused herself and followed her stumbling friend around the corner, out of sight from the room where the party was going on, and watched him trip over the carpet and catch himself against the wall.

"Mike!" she called out, but he didn't seem to hear her. He pushed off the wall and stumbled a bit further, practically falling through the door to Harvey's office.

By the time she got to him Mike was slumped onto the couch, pulling desperately at the collar of his shirt, which by now he'd popped the first button on and the tie was nearly falling off his neck.

"Oh my God, Mike," she ran across the room, pulling chin toward her when she sat down beside him. His face was red and sweat had begun to gather at his hairline. Slowly, his blue eyes trained on her, dull and glazed over with none of the usual spark glowing inside.

Rachel felt the knot of worry in her stomach tighten and she jumped when Mike coughed. Once, twice, and then uncontrollably. But the coughing didn't seem to be helping anything.

Then he started to wheeze.

Warning bells went off in Rachel's head and she stood suddenly.

"Just stay here, okay? Don't move. I'm gonna go get help."

With that Rachel bolted from the office, much faster than her nude platform pumps should have allowed. She burst back into the party, ignoring the stares of the second year associates she and Mike had been talking with before, her eyes scanning the small crowd for the one person she knew could help.

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><p>Harvey was completely within his element. The office wasn't really his preferred place to spend his spare time but Jessica sure knew how to select her wines. And besides, some of the other partners were his closest friends. Competitors sure enough, but friends too.<p>

He was in the middle of reminiscing days at Harvard with a couple of the lawyers he'd known the longest when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

He turned and raised an eyebrow at Rachel Zane, who was giving him a particularly worried look.

"Yeah?"

"Um, I need your help," she cleared her throat and threw a nervous glance at the other two partners before lowering her voice further, "it's Mike."

Harvey's demeanor changed like a switch had been flipped, from mildly curious to intensely focused. His eyes narrowed minutely and his lips thinned.

"Take me to him."

Harvey was a little surprised when Rachel led him to his own office, choosing not to comment on their fast pace or the nervous way she was wringing her hands.

"Rachel what-?"

He was cut off when she opened his door and the sound of someone having a _very _difficult time breathing reached his ears.

Instantly he was across the room, kneeling in front of his associate with a steadying hand on his knee.

"Mike," he called out. Mike was rocking back and forth, a pained wince on his face. One hand clutched his stomach while the other scratched feverishly at his neck and jaw. There was a sheen of sweat on his face and his lips were painfully swollen. Harvey took all of this in, processed it, and immediately started coming up with a solution.

"What happened?" He demanded, raising his voice not only to be heard over Mike but so Rachel would know he was talking to her.

"Um…I don't know. We were just talking and then-"

"What were you doing when you were talking?"

"What?"

Harvey sent her an impatient glare and then turned his attention back to Mike.

Rachel frantically searched her memory for something that would help.

"We were just…we were _eating_." She exclaimed suddenly. Anticipating Harvey's next question she elaborated. "That dip Louis always brings."

Harvey's eyes widened and he turned to look at her. It occurred to Rachel that she'd never seen 'fear' on the man's face before.

"Call 911," he said, a touch of panic behind the calm words, "and get Donna, tell her to bring Mike's EpiPen."

Harvey was relieved when, aside from a quick gasp, Rachel wasted no time in leaving the office to follow him instructions.

"Mike," Harvey said again, this time raising one hand to rest at the back of the kid's neck. "Mike can you hear me?"

Slowly, Mike lifted his head, huge, glazed blue eyes staring at him blearily.

"H'vy." Was all he could manage and Harvey winced. His tongue was so swollen he could barely talk, no wonder he was having trouble breathing.

"That's right kid, just hang in there. We're gonna take care of you, alright?"

In any other situation Mike would have made a joke about Harvey including himself and the word 'care' in the same sentence. But Harvey wasn't sure the kid could tell him where he was in that moment, let alone make jokes.

Mike winced and bent forward again, clutching his stomach with one hand and Harvey's sleeve with the other. Harvey barely kept Mike from diving off the couch while getting a firm grip on the panic that was trying to bubble up in his stomach and pushing it back down again.

"Alright Mike, I need you to breathe, okay kiddo? C'mon." He pushed gently on Mike's shoulder, trying to get him to sit up. Mike was still scratching the skin off his neck raw and Harvey realized he had broken through in a couple of places and was starting to bleed.

He reached up and took hold of Mike's wrist, pulling it away and not missing the quick, flighty thump of Mike's heartbeat against his thumb.

He was wheezing so hard now Harvey was finding it hard to breathe as well and a few frightened tears leaked down Mike's face.

"Where the hell is Donna?"

Harvey had no sooner grumbled to himself when the redhead came bursting through the door. Without a word she threw herself onto the couch beside Mike, jamming the needle of the EpiPen into Mike's leg.

The kid didn't even wince.

Harvey waited with wide eyes for something to happen, but Mike went unchanged.

"Donna?" He demanded.

"It'll take a second," she shushed him. Her eyes were glued to Mike, one hand carding soothingly through his hair.

Suddenly Mike sat forward, sucking in air like he'd been held underwater for longer than his lungs could take. Harvey's eyes fell closed in relief and he moved his hand from Mike's knee to run it quickly over his face a few times.

Mike gulped the air like a man possessed and Donna frowned, shaking her head.

"He needs to slow down," and Harvey wasn't sure if she was talking to him or herself, "dumb kid's going to hyperventilate if he keeps this up."

She kicked off her shoes and hiked up her skirt.

"Help me," she muttered, pushing the still gasping associate forward into Harvey's arms as she swung one lug over the couch, positioning herself behind Mike. Harvey waited until she reached forward and then carefully pushed his associate back toward her.

Donna rested her head on Mike's shoulder, her mouth right by his ear, and wrapped her arms around his chest.

"Mike, I want you to breathe with me, okay?" She said in that sweet, sisterly voice Harvey had noticed she only used with the younger man. "Like that, okay? In and out."

Harvey waited, but Mike's breathing didn't change. Donna gave him a distressed look and Harvey reached forward, squeezing Mike's shoulder.

"Mike," he said, loudly, trying to get his attention. Slowly, Mike opened his eyes. "Mike, you need to listen to me I-"

"Dad?" Mike rasped. He readjusted his hold on Harvey's arm and he could almost feel the desperation coming off the kid in waves. "Help me Dad."

Harvey looked stricken for a moment, but Donna could see the moment he'd processed this new bit of information and decided on a course of action to go along with it.

"I'm trying Mikey," Harvey said quietly, moving his hand from Mike's shoulder to rest on his head and Donna felt a twist in her stomach at the softness in his voice when he let the nickname slip. "I'm going to help you but I need something from you too, okay?"

Shakily, Mike nodded.

Harvey caught Donna's eyes and she got the message.

"Breathe with me, Mikey. Okay?"

"Mom?" Mike squeaked, and the pain and fear and hopefulness in his voice was nearly her undoing. Donna just tightened her hold on him and closed her eyes.

"Yeah. Now c'mon. Breathe with me, I know you can do it."

Finally, after several moments, Donna felt Mike's breathing change to be in time with hers. It was all she could do to keep her breathing even and keep whispering encouragement in his ear.

The next time Donna opened her eyes it was because Mike was being pulled away from her. It went against her instincts to do so, but she let the paramedics take him and stood up, going to Harvey. The man silently lifted his arm and let Donna tuck herself under it, watching as Mike was loaded onto a gurney, an oxygen mask immediately being placed over his face.

Outside the office a crowd had gathered to see the commotion. Rachel held the door open for the paramedics, heedless of the mascara running down her cheeks. After they'd cleared the room, Mike now unconscious on the gurney as he was wheeled from the office, Jessica made her way inside.

"Harvey what just happened?" She asked, just a little bit less demanding than she felt. Harvey and Donna looked like they'd been through hell, and they hadn't looked that way when she saw them fifteen minutes ago.

Harvey sighed, squeezing Donna's shoulders when he felt her shudder and ran a hand through his hair.

"Kid had some of Louis' dip," he shook his head, "there was no way he could have known."

"Known what?" Jessica asked, frowning.

"It has shellfish in it," Donna elaborated, "Mike's severely allergic."

Jessica's eyes skipped over to the couch and the used EpiPen.

"I see," she nodded. "I'll find out where they're taking him for you."

Jessica turned to leave and Donna went to collect her shoes, discarded by the couch. Harvey walked over to the door where Rachel was still standing, looking shell shocked with one hand pressed to her lips.

"He's lucky you were there for him. You did the right thing."

Rachel shook her head, brown eyes bouncing up to him.

"The right thing would have been not to make him eat that crap in the first place," she said bitterly, shaking her head at herself.

Harvey sighed. He could tell her it wasn't her fault, but in that moment the platitudes weren't going to do her any good. He just reached out to pat her arm twice and Rachel looked off to one side, feeling undeserving of the comforting gesture.

"Lets go." Donna said, pulling up beside him. Harvey nodded and they both headed toward the elevators, ignoring the crowd of gawkers outside Harvey's office with a single minded focus of two people who'd just seen what a near-death experience looked like.

"Harvey."

The man turned around to see Rachel hesitantly following.

"Just…will you please just…" she trailed off and Harvey nodded.

"I'll make sure to keep you updated."

Rachel kept her eyes on the floor, but nodded.

"Thank you."

Harvey turned around to find Donna holding the elevator.

"I called Ray. He's downstairs." She said and let the doors close as he entered.

"Good."

"And Jessica texted me the name of the hospital they took him to."

"Alright."

"And as soon a we're in the car I'm going to call-"

"Donna."

She shook her head, refusing to look at him. She didn't want to see the concern swimming in those deep brown eyes right now. Not when the world was already swimming in front of her own.

She took a deep breath, continuing despite the tremble in her voice.

"I'm going to call the hospital to find out where they've put him and then-" She felt Harvey's hand at her back and couldn't hold back the sobs anymore.

"God, Harvey," she whimpered, and immediately Harvey pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin on her head.

"You did good Donna," he whispered, rubbing circles on her back, "and he's gonna be fine. You'll see."

She said something he couldn't quite make out through her cries and shushed her gently.

"You'll see. He's going to be just fine."

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><p>Mike blinked repeatedly at the bright light pounding into his eyes and groaned. He felt like roadkill. And not the bloated, recent kind that was still identifiable as you drove by. But the really gruesome kind that hadn't been pulled out of the road and therefore was run over multiple times until it no longer really looked like anything except <em>yuck. <em>

He grimaced at the thought of his own analogy. Or maybe it was just the bright lights.

Then, suddenly, the lights were gone and he made more of an attempt at opening his eyes.

"That better?"

Someone asked from what Mike assumed to be the general direction of the light switch.

"Yeah," he winced at the feeling of what was obviously sandpaper lodged in his throat.

A helping hand supported the back of his neck and tilted him forward. Mike was confused as to why until the relieving sensation of cool water trickling down his throat hit him and he very nearly smiled.

"Thanks." He said, almost inaduibly.

The helpful person just hmm'd and he heard fabric rustling beside him and then the squeaking of a metal chair, and when had his eyes closed again?

He blinked and turned toward where he'd heard the noise.

Harvey sat beside him looking quite comfortable, though Mike knew for a fact hospital chairs were anything but, and gave a calculating look to his associate.

"How do you feel?"

Mike said the first thing that came to mind. "Roadkill."

Harvey smirked. "Sounds right. You did nearly die of anyphylactic shock afterall."

Mike's eyes widened and then he frowned. "I did?"

Harvey turned serious and leaned forward, tilting his head to one side.

"You don't remember?"

"Not really," Mike sort of shook his head. "It's kind of nice actually. Not remembering."

Harvey snorted and sat back. "Well, the long and the short of it is you ate something you shouldn't have and you should be very glad I listen with at least half an ear when you babble endlessly after too many sleepless nights."

Mike frowned, his sluggish brain not quite following Harvey sketchy detail giving abilities.

"You ate Louis' special Shellfish Veggie dip," Harvey clarified.

Mike's mouth formed an 'o' and he narrowed his eyes, vaguely remembering mentioning to Harvey a few weeks ago after what was probably his thirtieth redbull in as many hours that he had a very severe allergy to fish of just about every kind.

"That explains a lot." He turned toward the ceiling. He frowned, remembering bits and peices of the office party, "that was stupid."

Harvey nodded, "Yeah. It was."

Mike was quiet a moment.

"I knew Louis was out to get me."

"I've had the same feeling before kid," Harvey said, leaning back in his chair and pulling a newspaper out of his bag, "but I don't think we can put this one on him. Or you," he sipped his coffee, "or Rachel for that matter."

Mike frowned lightly, turning back toward Harvey. "Rachel?"

"Yeah, girl's got it into her head that it's her fault you ate the damn stuff."

"I'll talk to her." Mike mumbled, rubbing his face, suddenly feeling very tired.

"Good." Harvey moved to stand, folding the paper and putting it under his arm. "I've got to get back to the office. Donna will be here in a little bit to mother you to within an inch of your life. Mike," he waited until the kid was looking at him, "let her."

Mike puzzled a little bit at Harvey's serious tone but nodded.

"Okay."

Harvey dipped his chin once and turned to leave.

"Oh and Mike?"

The younger man pried his eyes open once more and saw Harvey paused with his hand on the doorknob.

"Yeah?"

Harvey sighed and looked at him. "I'm glad you're alright."

He was gone before Mike could even articulate a response.

When his brain finally caught up to what Harvey had said, a grin spread across Mike's face and he closed his eyes, wiggling until he was comfortable on the stiff white sheets and muttering to himself.

"I knew he cared."

END

_**I almost broke this up into three chapters but decided I was too lazy. Please reward said laziness with reviews!**_


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